


Brash's Gift

by redtrouble



Category: Demonheart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 13:47:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17788541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redtrouble/pseuds/redtrouble
Summary: Sir Brash tries to give Bright a gift.





	Brash's Gift

Brash stared at the spread of food he’d had brought up to his and Bright’s room, the enticing smell spearing his nostrils, and fingered the small ring of metal in his pocket, a frown etched onto his face. He had been carrying the stupid trinket around for weeks and still hadn’t given it to her. It wasn’t that he was being a coward about, either, just that he hadn’t found an opportunity to give it to her…none that felt right, at any rate _._ That, and the idiots traveling around with them kept interrupting their private moments.

The first few days he had been hesitant. He hadn’t wanted to seem overeager. Jewelry always made a statement and even he wasn’t sure what kind of message he was trying to send. He knew she loved him, knew she wouldn’t refuse. But would it make her happy? Would it scare her? Would she read too much into it or, gods forbid, not enough? But then he just got annoyed with his overanalyzing and told himself to get it over with.

Which is when Ari had to stumble into it and mess it up. They were camping in a small cave, the demon kid was sleeping, Ari was on watch near the entrance, and he and Bright were cuddled up in his bedroll, her back pressed to his chest, where he had just finished bringing her to a discreet climax beneath the blanket. She tilted her head up and gently kissed his jaw before looking at him with those beautiful eyes half-lidded from pleasure and softly asked him to loosen his grip on her so she could return the favor. The words alone were enough for him and he kissed her long and deep. Just as he was reaching for the ring, Ari walked into the camp and insisted it was time for him to take watch. It took every effort not to spit the stupid witch right then and there.

The next day, as they were saddling up the horses and Ari had taken goat-boy to the stream, he had snuck up behind her while she was buckling the flank cinch and reached around to help her. She flinched in surprise then smiled back at him. Their fingers brushed together as they both handled the straps, tightening and tucking and knotting the leather, and curled together with flirtatious strokes. His right hand eased up her arm and down her side, following the curve of her waist and hip, as he bent to kiss her while that hand sneakily went for the ring in his pocket…and he almost dropped it in the grass when the demon kid exploded through the brush, excitedly babbling about something he had seen in the water.

Brash decided it was a sign and waited three days before trying again. That time, demonheart hunters ambushed them. The next time, their conversation took a sorrowful turn, Bright started crying, and he spent the rest of the moment trying to comfort her. The time after that, the demon kid wouldn’t stop talking to her until Brash had to give up spending any time at all with her. After that, she fell asleep on him, Ari walked in on them again, traveling merchants decided to share their camp for the night, another battle with hunters, and then Brash gave up.

Until tonight. He was determined to finally give her this stupid ring—now more symbolic by the sheer struggle it was to actually give it to her—and be done with it. He wasn’t even sure why he bought it… It had been a last minute, impulsive purchase. They were on the run and could barely afford it. Every coin was precious and needed to be reserved for food and equipment and the occasional tavern. Work was not guaranteed, especially when they couldn’t stay too long in any place. And yet…

Brash slipped it out of his pocket and stared at it, so small in his massive palm. The thin ring of silver glinted in the light, a tiny red gem at the crest, red because it matched her hair. It wasn’t very impressive or expensive but it was all he could afford. Had he still been a knight of Scarcewall, he could’ve had a ring custom-crafted for her, a golden band thick and ornamental with a beautiful stone the size of a grape—an emerald, perhaps, or a sapphire, or even topaz to match her eyes. Her finger probably wouldn’t have been able to support it!

He grinned at the idea, but it was brief as his gaze focused on the tiny thing in his hand. Would she be disappointed? He had given her a golden hairbrush once—a stupid, golden hairbrush—but could now barely give her a proper piece of jewelry. Since he had met her, all he wanted to do was give her things, fine clothes and expensive jewelry, and he couldn’t do any of it anymore! But this one time, he could give her a stupid, little ring, and it was all he could afford to give…but he was so disappointed by its lack, how could she be anything but? Embarrassed, he almost chucked it out the window, as he had many times before, but the door suddenly opened.

Brash’s fingers curled into a fist around the ring and he stood up as Bright walked into their inn room looking dejected. His metaphorical heart sank at the sight, realizing once again that it wasn’t the right time. Maybe it would never be the right time. Perhaps all of his failures weren’t bad luck and poor timing at all, but a sign…

“What’s wrong?” he asked and she looked up at him before her eyes fell on the table covered with food.

“You had dinner brought up,” she said with a small smile. When he didn’t say anything, she sighed. “I think I know what this is about…”

His mouth nearly dropped open in shock. How could she have figured it out? Was he really that obvious? And why did she seem so upset about it?

“Ari told me it was coming,” she continued.

Brash’s fists tightened. How in Inferno could Ari have known? He started going back over the past three weeks in his mind, trying to pinpoint a time when he gave himself away. Was that why Ari kept interfering? Because she was trying to stop him? For whose sake—hers or Bright’s? Anger and confusion and hurt exploded inside of him.

Bright finally met his eyes, sheepish and apologetic. “I’m sorry…” she said and looked back at the floor.

Brash stiffened, preparing for the coming blow. “For what?” he snapped.

“I want you to know that I tried,” she implored him, still unwilling to meet his gaze, “for weeks, but nothing felt right. I know you’re used to a certain luxury, but everything affordable was either too practical that it was unnecessary or too sentimental that it was worthless! I tried, but in the end, I couldn’t find anything…”

“Find what?” he barked, impatient and afraid of what she was trying to say.

“A gift,” she answered quietly, “for your birthday…”

For a moment, Brash was too stunned to respond. Silence crowded his mind like cotton stuffed into his ears. His birthday? It was his birthday? He hadn’t realized it was already that time, was so preoccupied with his gift to her that he had forgotten—could barely care about a date so meaningless to him. But her actions meant that she cared. She had spent all this time trying to find a gift for him, had agonized over it, and regretted coming up empty-handed. What she didn’t realize was that alone was a precious gift to him.

He was so overwhelmed with happiness that he couldn’t even speak. Instead, he just closed the distance between them.

“I’m sorry, Brash—” she started to say but his mouth closed over hers, trapping the words.

So much for dinner. Within moments, he had them both undressed and tangled together on the bed. An hour later, they were relaxing in each other’s arms, her back against his chest, both sweaty and still breathing heavily. He carefully reached for the ring he had quickly hidden beneath the pillow and took her left hand in his. Their fingers laced together as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

Bright started, her eyes immediately going to the tiny scrap of silver and ruby glinting up at her. He placed a lazy kiss on her exposed shoulder, waiting for whatever reaction he was going to get—good or bad.

“Brash! Wh—” She sucked in a deep breath but the words weren’t coming. “Wh—”

“Been trying to give you that for weeks,” he explained. “It’s not much—”

“It’s beautiful!” she said breathily. “But—”

“It’s nothing compared to what I could have given you when—”

“It’s from you,” she interrupted him. “That’s all that matters to me.” She smiled, cheeks flushing. “ _Thank you_.” She turned in his arms to better face him. “But it’s _your_ birthday! It’s your day to receive gifts, not mine.”

“Yeah,” he said and grinned, lowering his mouth to hers. “And I got the better one, too.” She barely got out a muffled, “What?” before he kissed her, stifling her question, and kept kissing her until she forgot it entirely.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fluffy little one-shot for the wonderful people in the Demonheart Discord channel and their love themed event for Valentine's Day. It's been awhile since I wrote these two... Sorry if it was terrible. @_@


End file.
